Ironing-machine



5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

H. WATSON.

IRONING MAGHINE.

No. 332,026. Patented Dec. 8, 1885.

( No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2. L. H. WATSON.

IRONING MACHINE.

No. 332,026. Patented Dec. 8, 1885.

(No Model.) 5 sheets-met 3.

L. H. WATSON.

IRONING MACHINE.

' No. 332,026, Patented Dec. a, 1885.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

L. H. WATSON.

IRONING MACHINE.

No. 332,026. Patented Dec. 8, 188 5.

(No Model.) 5 Shets-Sheet 5.

L. H. WATSON.

IRONING MACHINE.

N0. 332,026. Patented Dec. 8, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Orr cs.

LEWIS H. WATSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

lRONlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,026, dated December 8, 1885.

Application filed December 6, 1884. Serial No. 149,634. (No model.)

. To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEWIs H. WATSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ironing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

. This invention relates to improvements in ironing-machines especially adaptedfor the turningnp and ironing of neckbands of shirts, and in which a padded roller is employed in connection with a heated iron supported above the same and actuated to exert the desired pressure upon the band to effectively turn up and iron the same.

The objects of this invention are to steady and have the iron so pivoted that in rising from the roller it shall recede from and therefore not impinge against the face of the turning-up flange mounted on the roller, and at the same time have the pivot or hinge bearing of the iron vertically adjustable. .Further objects are to regulate the pressure of the iron on the neckband, and to automatically maintain the iron in an elevated position by means of a spring the power of which, and hence the quickness of its operation, can be varied and its loss of power supplied. I attain these objects by devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a per- -spectiveview of the upper part of the maroller reversed relatively to each other.

plate J. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the casting or frame for supporting the shaft, iron, &c. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a modification of my invention, showing the iron and Fig.

13 is a perspective view of the treadle and connections for operating this modification. Fig. 14. is a vertical section taken through the iron and roller on the line as m, Fig. 15, and

showing the iron made cylindrical in crosssection. Fig. 15 is a side elevation of the cylindrical iron having its end parallel with the turning-up flange.

Similar letters of referenceindicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

A indicates a tapering post or standard for supporting the operative parts of the machine, said post being provided at its base with a flange for rendering it stable, and for receiving set screws orbolts securing it to the floor, and is of a height necessary to support the ironing mechanism in a convenient position for the operator. Socketed in or otherwise secured on the upper end of the standard is a casting or frame, B, forming bearings for a shaft, C, carrying on one end a driving-pulley, D, and on its opposite end a rotary padded roller, E, splined on the shaft or otherwise rigidly secured thereto. The outer end of the padded roller is provided with a circular flange, F, extending at aright angle to the plane of the roller, and has its edges preferably rounded, so as to present a smooth surface to and not obstruct the free passage of a fabric over and upon it.

To pad the roller,an elastic covering of rubber, leather,or other suitable material,to yield to the pressure of the iron, is secured thereon and confined between the flange F and a plate, G, screwed or otherwise secured on the inner end of the roller and bearing on the shaft, and affording an impingingsurface for an expansion-spring, H, impinging at its opposite end against the frame B, and serving to prevent the shaft from perceptibly reciprocating, and yet yielding for a longitudinal adjustment of the roller when it is desirable to increase or diminish the distance between the end of the iron and the turning-up flange. The wheelD is made adjustable on the shaft C by means of a set-screw, y, which passes through the hub and bears against the shaft. The end of the hub of the wheel is moved against the end of the frame B, and then the spring H exerts its power in holding the shaft in the position into which it is adjusted. The tension of this spring is exerted between the end of the frame B and the end of the roller E, and hence forces the shaft C endwise as far as the hub of the wheel will allow it to move. This adj ustment of the shaft is necessary in order to regulate the distance between the inner side of the flange F and the outer end of the iron L.

Cast with or otherwise secured to the frame B,and extending at a right angle to the plane of the same, is a lug or projection,I, to which is bolted a plate, J, constituting a pivot or hinge bearing for a yoke, K, supporting at its free end an iron, L, the construction of which will hereinafter be described. In this :0 connection it should be observed the pivot of the iron is in a plane with or below the plane of the padded roller, for the purpose of causing the iron to recede from the flange in rising above the roller, and for the purpose of avoiding pinching and shearing a neckband between the flange and theiron. The perforation a in the lug I for the connecting-bolt is elongated so that the plate J, and with it the yoke and iron, may have a vertical adjustment when from any cause whatever the face of the iron would not otherwise extend in a plane parallel with the plane of the padded roller when the iron is in its operative position in contact with the neckband. The iron L is preferably 2 5 hollow and heated by gas, but maybe heated by slugs or in any other known and convenient way. The central portion of the face of the iron, or, at least, so much of it as isin contact with and presses the neckband upon the padded '0 roller, is flat, as shown at b,- but from this point toward each side edge the face of the iron is beveled outwardly from its face proper, as shown at c c, for the purpose of more fully exposing the neckband in its passage between 5 the iron-and roller to the eye of the operator. The front end of the iron has a flat face, (Z, and

a beveled edge all around, except next the ironing face, and this end inclines backwardly from its lower edge at an oblique angle to the 4 face of the iron, which construction is found desirable, because it enables the operator to clear a garment, and particularly a polished shirt-bosom, from a contact with the end of the iron, liable to mark, break, or otherwise 5 disfigure the body of a garment during the turning up and ironing its neckband. It would, however, be no essential departure from this invention to materially change the con formation of the ironas, for example, to-have so it cylindrical in cross-section and its outer'end face in a line parallel to the inner or outer face of the flange F or end of the padded roller,

as shown in Figs. 14 and 15. Pivoted to the wardly and passes through a bracket, e, pivoted to a treadle, f, at the base. of-the standard, said treadle in turn having its bearing on a bolt, 5 screwed into the standard. The lower end of rod M is guided in a boss madeto receive-it on the standard-base. Said rod is normally maintained, and with it the iron, in an elevated position by a spring, 2, confined between the base and a nut, j, on the rod andbelow the bracket, which nut is adjustable on the-rod to increase or diminish the tension of the spring, and hence the rapidity of the uptween the roller and iron andin such a posiunder the end edge of the iron and in the .angle formed by the turning-up flange andcauses said band to move forward in such a":

f ter the neck-band is inserted between the iron iron, -as shown, or may be toward the free end 5 5 of the yoke, is a rod, M, which extendsdown .at thesame time with his right hand he ward movement of the iron, and also to supply lost power to the spring. .Between this nut and the bracket is a second nut, n, which, screwed down or up on the rod, respectively increases or diminishes the length of the rodconnection between the iron and treadle, so that if the rod n be shortened the treadle, havinga greater sweep, will enable the operator to apply greater pressure on the iron, it being understood, of course, that there is by the floor or a stop a fixed limit to the downward stroke of the treadle.

In order to limit the rise of the iron above the roller, a bracket plate or stop, 0, projects over the path of the iron and has a slot, 1), for the set-screw securing the bracket to the frame, which slot is elongated and provides for a vertical adjustment of the bracket, so as to fix a limit to the upward stroke of the iron within that required by a variation in the thickness or number of ply of ne'ckbands'.

In practice the bosom of a shirt is ironed before subjecting it to the present machine for turning up and ironing the neckband, and this order of steps is preferred, because the bosom being in a smooth outstretched condition facilitates its handling and the directing of the neckband through the machine, so that it will be turned up only on its line of intersection with the bosom. With theiron in its normal position, elevatedabove the padded roller, a shirt, for example, is taken hold of with the right hand about the lowerend of 1 00 the bosom and elevated in a line with and vertical to the turning-up flange on the roller, and the neckband is then taken hold of with the left hand and one of its ends inserted belbs tionv that when the foot of the operator is pressed upon the treadle, and-the iron thereby caused to descend upon the neckband, the inner edge or seam of the latter will lie directly roller. As soon as the iron is in operative contact with the neckband, the friction of the revolving padded roller on the neckband r1: manner that it is virtually drawn across the face of the iron, which thereby not only irons,- but gives the outer face of the; neckband a highly polished and finished appearance;- Afand roller and begins its'forward movement,- the operator, with his-left foot on the treadle,

' gradually advances his right foot around t'oa point in front of the end of the machine, while" swings the shirt down towarda'h'orizontal p'o-y sition away from the front of the-machine and at a right angle to'the plane of the padded roller, but at the same time maintaining the shirt-bosom in: the sameoriginalposition relay I30 tive to the turning-up flange until theban'd' has passed from'the machine. The changes in the position of the operator are natural, and therefore not fatiguing, and enable himto effectually inspect and guide the band so that itwill be turned up evenly on theline of its j uncture with the body of the garment,while the manipulation described of the body of the garment enables him to have the band turned up at substantially a perfect right angle to the plane of the body of the garment and to conform to the natural angle of the neck and body of the wearer.

As shown, the iron has a vibratory movement in lowering it upon or elevating it above the padded roller; but it will be no departure from my invention to lower the iron or have the iron stationary and elevate or lower the roller, for the essential features of my invention are a non-revolving iron, a revolving padded roller, and a flange upon either of said revolving members. In Fig. 12, for example, the relative position of the iron and roller is reversed-that is to say, the yoke K, slightly differing in form and length, extends downwardly, so as to bring the iron underneath the padded roller, which iron has a flange, q, the effect of which arrangement is to polish the inside of the neckband.

If desired, both constructions may be alternately used to give a uniform finish to both sides of the neckband; but as a rule this is not desirable.

In Fig. 13 is shown another form of connection between the treadle and rod, the rod being screwed and adjustable in a yoke, r, in a rear extension of the treadle, which has on the opposite side of its pivot a bracket, 8, working in a spring, 25, guided on a rod, vu, in the base-support.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. The combination of the flanged padded roller, the vibrating iron, the yoke therefor, pivoted at one end, and means, substantially as described, for actuating said roller.

2. The padded roller provided with a turning-up flange at its outer end, the fixed bearings thereof, and means, substantially as described, for rotating said roller, in combination with the iron, the pivoted yoke supporting the iron, and means, substantially as described, for vertically adjusting said yoke to shift the position of the iron relative to the roller, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the flanged padded roller,the vibrating iron,the yoke thereof, pivoted at one end, and the treadle, of a connecting-rod, a spring actuating said rod and normally elevating the iron above the roller, and means, substantially as described, for increasing or diminishing the tension of said spring, for the purpose set forth.

4. The vibrating iron, flanged padded roller, and treadle, in combination with a connecting-rod and a nut adjustable on said rod to increase or diminish the length of rod-connection between the iron and treadle, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this the 20th day of November, 1884, at Chicago, Illinois.

LElVIS H. WATSON.

\Vitnesses:

W. W. ELLIOTT, A. ELLIOTT. 

